Marseille: Ancient Port, Modern Metropolis

Marseille needs no introduction as France's oldest city and its window on the Mediterranean world. Founded by Greek traders 2,600 years ago, the city has welcomed waves of immigrants who've made it France's most cosmopolitan metropolis. The Vieux-Port, where it all began, remains the city's heart, its quays lined with fish vendors selling the morning's catch directly from their boats.

The city's relationship with the sea defines its character. The Corniche Kennedy, a spectacular coastal road, offers democratic access to the Mediterranean—here, working-class families from the northern quarters mix with residents of seafront villas, all united in their appreciation of sunset over the Frioul Islands. The tiny Vallon des Auffes port, tucked below the Corniche, preserves traditional pointus (traditional fishing boats) alongside restaurants serving bouillabaisse to purists who insist on the authentic version.

Modern Marseille embraces its maritime heritage while looking forward. The transformation of the Joliette docks into the Euroméditerranée district represents one of Europe's largest urban renewal projects. The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations (MuCEM), connected to the historic Fort Saint-Jean by a dramatic footbridge, examines Mediterranean culture from multiple perspectives, acknowledging that this sea connects rather than divides.

The city's beaches, from the crowded Plages du Prado to the hidden coves below the Corniche, serve a population that treats sea access as a fundamental right. The artificial beaches, created from rubble when the metro was built, demonstrate Marseillais pragmatism—if nature didn't provide enough beaches, they'd make their own.